Yellow Pages Endeavour - Design and Construction

Design and Construction

Designed by Lindsay Cunningham, the both boats are triscaph proa-like designs (though often referred to as a trimaran) intended for sailing in one direction. They have three hulls attached to a Y shaped aka. The ama, or windward hull, contains the cockpit and controls for the two crew members. The remaining two hulls travel in line, forming a vaka, or leeward hull. The rigid wingsail is attached to the center of the Y. The YPE used a high aspect sail, while the Macquarie Innovation uses a larger, lower aspect sail on a wider platform in an attempt to generate more power with less heeling force. Though the designs are often referred to as foil born, the hulls are designed to plane, and both versions have been photographed with the ama lifted clear of the water. A series of cavitation resistant asymmetric foils, with fences to prevent ventilation at height speeds, are situated in the vaka hulls serve to provide lateral resistance.

The construction of the load-bearing portions of the vaka hulls and aka are primarily of unidirectional carbon fiber composite over a nomex core. These are then faired using heat shrink membrane over foam cores. The ama is constructed of lightweight marine grade plywood, and is designed to shatter and throw the crew clear of the cockpit in the event of a crash. The wingsail is made of a heat shrink membrane over a lightweight foam core.